Fruit feed mechanism



March 22, 1960 E. R. MCCLELLAND 2,929,488

FRUIT FEED MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 12, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l V 2%"i. E 4, j

vf /p 5 /D F/GJ M a i #A Bywd@ kfraevfys March 22, 1960 E. R. MccLELLAND2,929,488

FRUIT FEED MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 12, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Imre/adi i. gaia/M0 Ya/Ad@ 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Zan .../7 Ma/vir:

March 22, 1960 E. R. MCCLELLAND FRUIT FEED MECHANISM Original Filed Aug.12, 1952 March 22, 1960 E. R. MCCLELLAND 2,929,488

FRUIT FEED MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. l2, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 L'wmp/vins United States Patent() FRUIT FEED MECHANISM Etheridge R.McClelland, San Pablo, Calif., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Filper Corporation, a corporation of California 3Claims. (Cl. 198-26) This application is a division of my United StatesLetters Patent No. 2,786,562, dated March 26, 1957.

'Ihe present invention relates to apparatus and methods for the feedingof fruit articles to apparatus such as positioning or orientatingapparatus, and is concerned more particularly with a feed apparatus ofthe above character which is adapted to supply one article to eachpocket or receptacle as it passes by the feed mechanism.

It is the general object of the invention to provide improved feedmechanism for supplying fruit or vegetable articles to a conveyor.

Another object of the invention is to provide fruit feed means includinga feed pocket related to a series of pocket structures, the feed pocketbeing mounted for movement in timed relation to the pocket structures tosupply articles thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment thereof, as illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the orienting apparatus;

Figure 2 is an end elevational View with the orienting pockets omittedfrom the view;

Figure 3 is a view of the feed mechanism taken as indicated by the line3-3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by the line6-6 in Figure 1; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 3-3 inFigure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the orienting and positioning apparatusemploying the instant invention includes generally an orienting unit 20supported in upright position on a framework 21 secured to a peachpitter 22 of conventional construction. A transfer mechanisnr23 isprovided for effecting transfer of oriented fruit from the orientingunit 20 to the pitter 22, and the orienter is fed by a feed unit 24,which supplies one peach at a time to the orienting unit 20. Y

The orienting unit 20 as stated above is of the upright type, and asshown herein, occupies no more oor space with reference to the peachpitter than that occupied by an operator manually feeding fruit to thepitter. The orienting unit 20 comprises generally an endless series ofpocket structures carried vertically up through a path in which fruitmay be fed thereto and then vertically downward through an orientingpath, during which the orientation of the fruit is accomplished, rstwith respect to the location of the fruit by the stem indent in thefruit and thereafter location of the fruit with respect to its sutureline, so that the fruit will be in proper position when it istransferredto the pitting unit to be split in a plane containing thenatural division between the two pit halves of the fruit.

ICC

The orienting unit 20 (Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4) has a frame structureincluding two opposed upright base castings 31 and 32 secured to andabove the framework 21, and respective side plates 33 and 34 securedadjacent the upper end of the respective base castings 31 and 32 andextending upwardly therefrom. Side plates 33 and 34 are provided withstiffifening angles 36 and 37, respectively, which also serve asmounting brackets. At the upper end of the respective side plates 33 and34, there are provided journal brackets 38 and 39 adjustably securedthereon and carrying at the upper end respective bosses 41 for thesupport shaft 42 of a pair of idle sprockets 43 for respective parallelchains 44 which extend downwardly and are trained about a pair of drivesprockets 46 mounted on a drive shaft 47 carried in suitable bosses ofthe base castings 31 and 32. To insure linear travel of the stretches ofthe chains 44 extending between the respective sprockets, guide strips48 are secured in spaced relation at either edge of respective plates33'and 34 by suitable brackets 49 spanning the portions of chain passingtherethrough.

The drive for the shaft 47 is through a gear 51 (Figure 2) securedthereon which meshes with a smaller gear 52 on a second drive shaft 53journaled in suitable bosses of the base castings 31 and 32, the shaft53 also carries a gear 54 meshing with a gear 56 journaled on the driveshaft 47 and connected to a sleeve 57 carrying a drive sprocket 58. Asseen in Figure 1, the drive sprocket 58 is connected by a chain drive 59to suitable driving mechanism of the pitter 22.

The endless series of orienting devices or pocket structures carried bythe respective chains 44 are operated to secure a rapid hunting andlocation of the stem indent of the fruit placing the indent in a desiredposition, and then to provide for automatic alignment of the suture lineof the fruit in a given position, as disclosed and claimed in myco-pending application Serial No. 303,913, led August 12, 1952.

As seen in Figure l, the chains 44 carry a series of equally spacedapart pocket structures 60 which have fruit receiving pockets on eitherside thereof, one pocket being effective during the feed of the fruit tothe orienting mechanism and the other pocket being effective lduringorientation of the fruit. As seen in Figure 6, each pocket structure 60is provided on one side with a concave surface or feed pocket 66a havingcross ribs 67 for supporting a fruit therein, after feeding of the fruitthereto during the upward travel of a pocket structure 60.

Referring to Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, a feed mecha. nism 24 isprovided for feeding a fruit into each pocket passing thereby and thisfeed mechanism is constructed so that it can be mounted at any desiredelevation along the frame of the orienting apparatus in the lineartravel of the pocket structure 60 upwardly along the left hand side oftheir path of travel as illustrated in Figure 1. The feed mechanismcomprises a pocket 91 secured on a shaft 92 which is journaled in a boss93 of a framecast-V ing 94 bolted to the respective side castings 31 and32. Other mounting stations 95 are provided on the side plates 33 and34. The pocket 91 has adjacent thereto a fruit control pawl 96 and aninclined feed trough 97 having a V belt 98 forming the bottom thereofand fed from a suitable source of supply 99 such as a conventionalmerry-go-round conveyor structure. The V belt 98 is journaled onsuitable pulleys 101, the shaft of one of which carries a bevel gear 102(Figure 6) driven from a bevel pinion 103 on a stub shaft 104 journaledin suitable bosses 106 of the frame casting 94. The shaft 104 carries asprocket 107 which is driven through a chain 108 from a sprocket 109(Figures 2 and 6) secured on the shaft 53.

Means are provided for oscillating the pocket 91 to ef- Y sisted bya'curved guide end 121a (Figures fect discharge of a fruit therefrom atthe proper'moment into each of the pocket structures 60 passingthereby.y This same movement is utilized to operate the pawl 91 tocontrol movement of the row of fruit in the feed trough 97.` As seen inFigures 1 'and titheY .sprocket 107 carries an eccentric Vpin111conriecfed`by a"r od"11'2 to a rock arm 1131of the shaftY 92. 'Asse'enin Figure 7, operation of theV rock shaft92willfmove the pocket 91to discharge a fruit into anasc'ending pocket structure 6i).` A vguidechute 116 (Figures Y6 and 7') having opposite inclined Vside portions is'dsposedfbetwe'en the frame plates 33 and k34 to assist and direct afruit intoan ascending pocket structure 60.

' The pawl 96 (Figures 3 and 5) is pivotally mounted e by a pin 1,17 ina block 11S on the frame casting 94 and s urged by a spring 119Y againstthe 'hub/101g of the adjacent pulley V101 at its top.` The pawl96 kisprovided also with a tail 96a Ywhich llies under`al depending flange 91aof the pocket'91. As seen most clearly uin Figure 6, the pawlY is splitand has two portions lying at either side of the Ybelt 98andtheadj'acentpulley 101, the pawl portions being provided withgstop`er`1ds96b.

ands-with inclined stop rises 96e tobe operativewith respect to thefruit in dilfeirentpositions. As 'seen inFig- `ure 5, the stop rises 96Care operative'witharespect to the fruit to lrestrain the row of Yfruiton the belt :98 fwhile the pocket is in dumping position. As thepocket-'91 -is returned rapidly to its fruit receiving position, itsange 91a engages the tail 96a of the pawl 96 and moves the pawl rapidlyfrom the position shown in Figure to that shown in Figure 3. This placesthe stop ends 96b'fof the pawl in operative relation with a fruit andliterally :throws the fruit resting on the pawl into the pocketstructure; This movement of a fruit intoV the feed pocket '91 is fas-3"and .6) of a side rail 121 of the conveyor. f

:It is believed that the operation of the fruit feed means will beapparent from the above description', and that the operation will resultin the feeding of one fruitlfrorn the feed pocket 91 to each of thepocket structures 60 Y passing thereby.

,Y While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it will be understood that the invention is 'capable ofvariation and modiation from the form shown, so that its-scope should belimited only bythe proper scope of the claims appended hereto.

Iclairnz l l f Y A1. In` a fruit handling mechanism having a conveyorand a series of pocket structures carried by said conveyor forA movementalong an'upright path, a fruit feed Ypocket mounted adjacent to saidupright path for swinging 'movement about a horizontal axis vto and fromsaid pathin time with the pocket structures, means for feeding fruit lone by one to said feed pocket including a pawl adjacent to said pocketswingable about a horizontal axis that vis at a right angle to the axisabout which said `pocket is swingable, said pawl being adapted tosupport-the body of one fruit only thereon for discharge of such onebody therefrom into said pocket upon swinging said pocket away from saidpath, and means connected withsaid pawl 'engageable with said pocketupon said pocket swinging away from said path for so swinging said pawl.

2. In a fruit handling mechanism having a conveyor and a series ofpocket structures carried by said lconveyor for movement along anupright path, a fruit feed pocket mounted adjacent to said upright pathfor swinging movement about a horizontal axisto and from said path intime with the pocket structures, means for feeding fruit one by one tosaid feed poket including a pawl adjacent toV `said pocket swingableyabouty a Yhorizontal axis that is at a right angle to the axis aboutwhich said pocket is swingable, said pawl being adapted to support thebody of one fruit only thereon for discharge of such` one body therefromintorsaid pocketV upon swinging said pocket away from said path,andmeans connected Vwith `said pawl engageable with said pocketuponsaidpocketlso swinging away from said path for so lswinging said pawl,means connecting said pocket with said conveyor for Swinging said pocketto Vdischarge the fruit thereon Y into each packet structure movingtherepast along Saidpath a ldownwardly inclined `carrier.extendingtopsaidrpawl'jfor supporting ya row of such -fruit thereon'for deliveryfrom the'lower end of said carrier to said pawl, andgstop meansonsaidpawl movable therewith upon movement of said pawl to a positiondischarging fruit therefrom into said pocket for obstructing movement offruit Yon said carrieronto said pawl. 4. I `j v 3. In a fruit handlingmechanism vhaving a conveyor j `and a series of pocket strueturescarriedby saidconveyor for movement along an upright path,'a fruit feed pocketmounted adjacentftosaid :path for swinging movement about a horizontalaxis to vand from-saidl pa'thin time with the pocket structurestoVdischarge fruitthereon into each suchy pocket structure movingthere'past`when said pocket kis swung to said path ,and to receive a fruitkthereon upon said vpocket-:swinging awayrfrom said path, meansconnecting said pocket with said conveyor for swinging said .pocket froma fruit holding'fpfc'gsi tion in which a bodyofjfruit `s-,held thereontoairuit discharge position rin which Ysuch fruit lis ydischarged'intoone ofy said pocket structures, and a pawl adjacentfto said pocketswingable from a fruit supporting positionad'apt'ed to support a singlefruit body only thereon fto awfruit delivery Vposition in which such body is delivered, therefrom into said pocket, Vmeans mounting saidpawlfor so swinging the latter, and means actuated by lvmoverrlent of saidpocket to itsfruit 'holding' position Yfor swinging said pawl to itssaid fruit Adelivery position, and means for feeding fruit bodies from arow thereofro'rito pawl one at a'time.

References Cited in the tile of patent UNITED sTArr-:s PATENTS

